How fraudsters use your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter pages to build a jigsaw and steal your identity

Social media users are inadvertently giving fraudsters all the information they need to steal their identities and take credit out in their names.

Victims who fail to guard their private information online are leaving themselves vulnerable to con artists reproducing a person’s identity using details spread across several popular websites.

Using personal details left sometimes unguarded on websites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter – coupled with publicly-accessible information on websites like 192 – criminals are able to make false credit card, loan or overdraft applications and leave their victims saddled with the debt.

Keep it private: Social media users are urged to beef up their privacy settings on their accounts to stop online fraudsters using your details to take out loans and credit cards in your name.

Data protection firm ALLOW commissioned a project led by criminologist Professor Martin Gill, in which a convicted fraudster interviewed by the project team revealed the tricks of the trade.

‘What we’ve discovered is that fraudsters use websites and social media to build detailed profiles of their intended targets, cross-referencing information from one site to another.

‘It’s pretty easy to do. A lot of people give so much information away for free without even thinking about it.

‘Some people are also slack with their online privacy settings and are not aware that what they’re posting could be used by fraudsters.

‘The fraudsters then fill in the gap either by buying the data, hacking for it, or tricking someone into revealing it.

‘It’s been quite an eye-opener to see how widespread this was.’

The research found that as well as using social media sites to get basic information such as names, addresses, phone numbers and email address, they also use them to find out information on a person’s hobbies and interests which could give them tips for passwords to hack an email account.

Once in an email account, fraudsters have a much great chance of accessing information such as bank details and information about other family members.

Websites such as LinkedIn meanwhile are used to identify potential victims, with criminals using details on education and employment history to gauge a person’s wealth.

Professor Gill said: ‘Our in-depth interview with an offender was the sort of information normally only a cell-mate would hear.

‘The individual simply followed a process, building profiles and then if he got rumbled he would just move on to the next person.

‘He found it shockingly easy to gather together personal information online.

Don't 'like' this: Fraudsters can take basic information from unprotected Facebook pages which they can use to fraudulently obtain loans or credit cards.

‘Don’t expect any sympathy from a fraudster if you over-share on social media.’

A survey carried by ALLOW alongside the interview found that one in four internet users have never checked their privacy settings on social media.

A further 22 per cent of respondents admitted to accepting friend requests on Facebook from people they don’t know.

And those unlucky enough to actually be a victim of identity fraud may find themselves locked in a long-running battle to get their money reimbursed.

Mr Basini said: ‘It may take months before you realised it’s happened and the first thing many people now is when they get a letter from their bank or a credit card company demanding repayment, which can be pretty distressing.

‘It would also take you quite a long time to sort out and ascertain the extent of the damage.

'It also has serious implications at a practical level as it could have an effect on your ability to obtain credit in the future.’

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